


How'd this happen?

by Alicepoe



Category: curse of strahd (D&D Campaign)
Genre: Minor Character Death, My First Work in This Fandom, Nonbinary Character, Not a Love Story, Origin Story, Original Character(s), Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Story within a Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-27 19:42:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30127881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alicepoe/pseuds/Alicepoe
Summary: This is the back story to my character "Charlie" for my D&D campaign: Curse of Strahd.Charlie is a non-binary Dragonborn walking into an old tavern to collect comrades to go on an adventure. Haunted and running from a past that they can never escape from.





	How'd this happen?

You run through the forest, past chasing you in the dark, surrounded by whispers of the dead that urge you forward.

Memories flash as echos replay:  
“Don’t let them catch you!” the desperate pleas of those no one else can see ring out around you  
“You could have saved them if you had only listened!” the thoughts and guilt flooding you as you run.

In the distance the fire roars out of control, burning the place you had called home and the evidence of the massacre. 

You can still see them when you close your eyes, the unholy glow of red, the feral sounds of the beasts as they feed on what remained of your family. You saved your breath for running knowing that screaming would be useless.   
There was no one left to save you anyway.

Branches break to your left, not sticking around to find out what it is you run deeper into the woods. Your family had wanted privacy to practice their craft as well as train for combat. The smaller members often were taught nature magic, whilst the bigger were taught how to fight and you had been just a bit under the minimum size requirement set by the elders to learn combat, so you hit the books. Basic survival training was given to all, of course, being so deep in the forest meant that, if separated, you would need to live long enough for someone to find you.

Looks like that was the best thing you could have been taught at this moment.   
Pausing to take in your surroundings, no longer could you hear the roar of the fire, or those beastly noises and unholy eyes, however, you also had no reasonable bearing of where you were in the dark. You had a choice to make, a camp for the night in a tree to find your way in the daytime or continue running aimlessly praying to whatever god you had left that you would see the next sunrise. Faith had never been your strong point, but maybe someone was listening. 

Moving felt better than staying, for all you knew, those things were hunting you even now. Looking to the stars you see the billows of black smoke coming from behind you and know you are a good five miles from where you had started. Recalling a map you had to memorize for training, there should be a ranger tower nearby and figured that was your best option. 

All that happened years ago now, but you’ve never forgotten and never forgiven. The rangers had taken you in as you’d be useful. Dragonborns were faster and stronger than humans at least. You still hear the voices and see the spirits. On bad nights you swear you can still see them watch you from the shadows, and if you happen to fall asleep it’s never for long, waking in a cold sweat as adrenaline courses through your veins to urge you to run or fight.

Now, the fear will end, you will hunt them instead of being hunted. Walking into the tavern, You hope to find someone who was brave or stupid enough to come along without too many questions…

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if I'll keep this going but I wanted to post it anyway.  
> Hope you enjoy and please leave a comment below if you'd like.


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